Mr Millward, from Saffron Walden, in Essex, works as a physiotherapist during the week but says that the deer breeding season is one of his highlights of the year.

He explained that the stags – which can weigh over 31stone and measure up to 8ft long – are very busy and "don't really have much time to sleep or eat as they are constantly fighting for the females".

He added: "It's really spectacular to see.

"The males hang around in groups and test the strength of each other.

"They don't really have much time to sleep or eat as they are constantly fighting for the females. What they do is they rut each other, which means they lock horns and battle, trying to be the strongest.

"The females will mate with the strongest stags. It's really serious and they can even kill each other occasionally.

"If one pulls away whilst they are rutting they can get stabbed. It doesn't happen very often but it does happen"